Saddle



C. A. PERSONS.

SADDLE.

APPLICATION FILED mmzz, 1911.

1 306,5322 j Patented Jufiq 10, 1919.

lbawenior $044 m m: uunms runs 00.. snow-Lima, wAsnmawn.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES A. PERSONS, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

SADDLE.

Application filed January 22, 1917.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES A. PERSONS, a citizen of the United States, residing at lVorcester, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have'invented certain Improvements in Saddles, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to saddles of the character used on bicycles, motorcycles and similar vehicles.

The invention aims to devise a saddle of this character which can be economically manufactured, shall be thoroughly substantial in construction and will have the resiliency which is necessary to give it the easy riding qualities desired in devices of this character. The invention is particularly concerned with the Spring construction for supporting the rear portion of the seat of the saddle.

The invention will be readily understood fication.

The saddle shown comprises a seat 2, a cantle plate 4 supporting the rear portion of the seat and a truss 6 consisting of two members lying side by side and forming the main support for the other parts of the saddle. For the purpose of supporting the cantle plate, two pairs of springs are interposed between it and the truss 6. One pair of these springs consists of two coiled tension springs indicated, respectively, at 7 and 8, the upper ends of these spring being secured to the rear ends of the truss members by bolts 9 and 10, respectively, and their lower ends being bolted to the lower ends of Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 10, 1919.

Serial No. 143,618.

to the cantle plate by means of two clips or,

straps 11 and two bolts indicated, respectively, at 15 and 16. A brace 18 clamped to the rear ends of the truss members 6 by means of the bolts 9 and 10 holds these members properly spaced apart.

The construction sofar described is substantially like that heretofore used in saddles which I have manufactured and shown in certain of my prior patents. The spring support for the pommel portion of the saddle here shown is also like that shown in my Patent No. 1,174,17 7 granted March7, 1916.

According to the presentinvention a pair of torsion springs, indicated, respectively, at 19 and 20, is interposed between the cantle plate and the truss 6 and they cooperate with the tension springs 7 and 8 to support the rear portion of the seat. The construction of these torsion springs is clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2, from which it will be seen that the legs of each spring extend forward beyond the coiled part of the spring in directions substantially parallel to each formed at its end through whichone of the bolts 15 or 16extends and clamps it tothe cantle plate, While the lower leg of each spring has a vertical eye formed at its end through which one of thebolts 9 or 10 extends and secures it to the truss 6.

In order to reduce the liability of break- .ing the torsion springs and for the purpose also of adding to the easy riding qualities of the saddle, I prefer to secure one leg, at least, of each of the torsion springs to the part with which it is connected in such a manner that it can pivot or rock relatively to its point of connection. Fig. 4 shows the construction here employed for the purpose of accomplishing this object. As clearly shown in this figure, the eye at the end of the lower leg of the spring 19 is clamped to the truss member 6 by the bolt 9, but a spacing collar 22 is employed to keep the bolt from binding the eye. That is. this collar has a tubular part encircling the bolt 9 and is itself encircled by the eye of the spring 19, and it also has a radial flange which separates the eye from the eye of the brace 18. The tubular portion of this collar is of a length greater than the diameter of the wire from which the spring is made so that when the nut on the bolt 19 is turned up to clamp other, the upper leg having a horizontal eye all the parts together, the collar :22 prevents any binding of the eye of the spring. A similar construction, of course, is employed to clamp the spring 20 to the truss member 6.

By using a spring construction of this character I am enabled to support the saddle on four relatively light springs whose tension or resistance to the downward IIJEOVG- ment of the saddle increases more gradually than would the tension of a single pair of springs of sufiicient strength, to support the same weight. A more resilient and easier riding saddle thus is produced.

Fig. 3 shows the left hand set of springs only of slightly modified construction. The spring 19 used in this embodiment of the invention has long eyes a and 6 formed, respectively, in the upper and loWer horizontal legs or endportions of the spring. The bolts 15 and 9 extend respectively through these eyes a and Z), as in the arrangement shown in-Figs. 1 and 2, and this construction thus permits the rider to adjust the tension of the springs 19 and 20 to suit his own weight or individual preferences. In order to make this adjustment it is merely necessary to loosen the bolts 15 somewhat and slide the springs 19 and 20 forward or backward to reduce or increase the effective lengths of the'legs of the springs, as desired, and then tighten the bolts again.

It is obvious that various constructions of torsion springs may be used and that the manner of connecting them to the supporting truss and to the seat, or some member that supports the seat, may be varied considerablywithout departing from the spirit or scope of this invention. In Fig. 5 a slight modification of the arrangement shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is illustrated in which the upperleg of the torsion spring 19 instead of being bolted to the cantle plate is provided with a vertical eye that encircles the bridge piece 12 at a. point be tween the clip 14 and the vertical leg of the bridge piece. Various other means for connecting the torsion spring to its point of support may be used while still maintaining the essential characteristics and features of this invention.

What is claimed as new, is

1. In a saddle of the character described, the combination with a seat, a cantle plate for said seat and a supporting truss, of two torsion springs each having two legs extending in the same direction beyond the coiled portion of the spring, the legs of each of said springs being secured respectively to said truss and cantle plate, and two coiled springs connected with said suppont and cantle plate and cooperating with said torsion springs to support said seat, the securing means for one leg of each of said torsion springs being constructed and arranged to enable said leg to turn relatively to the part to which it is secured, said torsion springs and their securing means being constructed and arranged to enable the torsion springs to be adjusted to vary their tension.

2. In asaddle of the character described, the combination with a seat, a cantle plate for sald seat and a supporting truss, of two vertically arranged torsion springs each cured, respectively, to the lower ends of said tension springs.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this soecification.

HARLES A. PERSONS.

Copies of this patent maybe obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

